Faith

Years ago, before my grandfather died, he spoke to me about his belief in god. A brilliant man whom I loved and miss every day, he told me that in his life he learned to believe in something greater than himself because it made things easier sometimes. I could not understand how a man like him, a United States Air Force captain who worked day and night to pay his own way through college and dental school to go on to earn a small fortune and start a family which I am so proud to be a member of, could possibly need to rely on faith beyond himself to feel fulfilled. I have reflected on his words more times than I can recall, and I am still unsure of just how I can relate them to my own life and beliefs.

Faith plays  a role in all of our lives. Regardless of our religion, spirituality, superstition, or lack thereof, who and what we believe in changes the way we think, feel, and live. In the Old Testament, faith is defined as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. In Merriam-Webster’s English Dictionary, it is described as a strong belief or trust in someone or something. It is a funny thing, though, for neither of these definitions are significant in the slightest when compared to the true meaning of an individual’s faith. The things that a man or woman has faith in are as uniquely his or her own as any other measure of individuality amongst people. Where the problem lies, though, is in the unfortunate truth that faith can be misplaced. Billions of people on this earth are certain, as in the definition from the Old Testament, of things of which there is no evidence. They trust, too, as in Merriam-Webster’s description, in people and things which often times do not warrant such acknowledgement. These illusions which we preserve for ourselves do not add significance to our lives. Instead, they fabricate a sense of purpose and importance which has no dutiful place in human life. In order to live fulfilling lives, we must collectively acknowledge the realities of our existence and thus be forced to accept that the only reasonable place to vest our faith is in ourselves.

To clarify my intent, I do not wish to delve into criticisms of any particular faith, belief system, or anything else of the sort. Many who retain closely held beliefs and strong faith in their religion or otherwise have proven to be, in my experience, men and women of tremendous virtue and moral stature. Instead, it is my purpose to attempt to innumerate the reasons why our faith should be held within oneself, the only entity over which we exercise true control, and therefore the only one and only thing in which we can truly trust and believe.

A man in a television show (another place where many, including myself, place their faith) once told me, “if the only thing keeping a person decent is the promise of divine reward, then brother, that person is a piece of shit”. While there was a sense of humor involved in this statement, it also is a provocative concept in the conversation about faith. Is it really understandable for a person to trust and believe in a desire for heavenly reward (or punishment, for that matter) instead of trusting and believing in his or her self as a source of strength and direction?

Religion is certainly not the only culprit of misplaced faith. We elect leaders who we trust (sort of) to make decisions based on how our country is run and, in many ways, how we live. In most cases they are not people we know personally or have even ever met, yet we place our faith in them to do the right thing for our country. We even place our faith in our favorite sports teams to win the big game, perhaps harmlessly, even though we have no control over what happens on the field or court. I don’t know about you, but blind faith in my favorite teams has proven to lead to disappointment time and time again.

Humans have lived for thousands of years believing in things outside of themselves. We have faith in gods, the afterlife, political and social figures, sports stars, and even our loved ones around us. In reality, though, there is no evidence that this faith is fruitful outside of what we tell ourselves, yet our mutual illusions persevere. As my grandfather told me, it makes things easier. I cannot accept that, though. It seems to me that the ease and relief we experience from placing our faith in the hands of the unseen or that which is greater pales in comparison to the strength and fulfillment we can enjoy through believing, trusting, and having faith in ourselves.